Feel guilty buying dryer sheets thinking there’s only one use for them? I’m here to tell you there are so many unique ways to use dryer sheets to improve your life!
This list uses both new and already used sheets. Reusing dryer sheets once used is very eco-friendly and, not to mention, cost-effective!
Here are two of my favorite dryer sheets I regularly use for everyday life. One is my old standby, and the other is a newer eco-friendly brand that does just as well.
The first is this standard pack I’ve used for most of my life. The second is this more eco-friendly pack I picked up just recently and really loved!
1. Keep Your Scissors Sharp
Do you want to keep your scissors as sharp as the day you bought them? Rub the blades down with a used dryer sheet between uses to keep them like new.
The gentle texture of the sheets will help buff out any micro blemishes that occur while the scissors are in use.
2. Help Your Clothes Smell Fresh
Keep your laundry clothes fresh by leaving a dryer sheet in your drawers. I like to put them in these bags, so it’s harder to lose them in the drawers.
Refill the bags with new sheets once the old ones have lost their scent. I like to hang them in closets, too, to keep everything smelling sweet!
3. Dust Your Home
Another way to give a second life to your dryer sheets is to use them as dust rags. Anything that needs dusting, too–shelves, floors, lamps, and more!
Again, the delicate texture of the cloth is a great tool to pick up dust on any surface that needs love and attention.
4. Clean Your Pots and Pans
Stubbornly dirty pots or pans get magically cleaned with this hack! Next time you have messy cookware, fill it with water, this dishwashing soap, and a dryer sheet–let it sit for an hour.
Remove the dryer sheet and drain the water. Clean and rinse like usual to reveal extra shiny pans.
5. Clean Your Paint Brushes
You all know I paint often–this is how I usually clean my brushes! Grab a tub like this one of warm water, add a dryer sheet, and set your brushes in to sit for a couple of hours.
Pull them out, dry them regularly, and clean up the tub when done soaking.
6. Rub Off Deodorant Streaks
It’s such a lifesaver for any deodorant user, especially those new users. If you realize you’ve got deodorant streaks on your shirt, simply grab a dryer sheet and rub it away!
I’ve shared this with my kiddos as they near ever closer to the time frame.
7. Get Rid of Toilet Bowl Rings
Get rid of toilet rings with used dryer sheets for that extra clean feel! It’s as simple as putting a little elbow grease on it to erase the marks.
Make sure to dispose of it properly in the garbage after finishing cleaning the bowl.
I like to travel with a little garbage bag so all the yuckier by-products of cleaning can go straight to the bins after cleaning.
These genius magic eraser hacks will also blow your mind!
8. Make Your Car Smell Better
Need a little extra scent boost in your car for a fresh feeling? Add a dryer sheet or two under the seats–indiscreetly problem solved!
My method to keep this habit under control is when I want to add new ones. I first fish out the old ones. This way, I don’t suddenly have an explosion of dryer sheets popping out from under my seats.
9. Clean Hair Brushes
To give your hairbrush a deeper clean, add your brush and a dryer sheet into a basin of warm water to sit. Let sit for a couple of hours or overnight and rinse and dry once done for a clean brush.
10. Clean Baseboards
A specific place where dryer sheets work great for dusting or spot cleaning is your baseboards!
Simply run them across any trouble spots–depending on what you’re cleaning, you may need a spray to treat the area.
Spray prior on any hard stains and then rub away with a dryer sheet or sheets.
11. Wipe Your Blinds
Are you at a loss on how to clean your blinds besides regularly dusting with wands or vacuum attachments? Wipe a sheet across them once a month–top to bottom.
The oil will help coat your blinds to help fight any settling dust onto them and elongate the time you’ll need to clean everything deeply.
Get a deeper clean with these ingenious window cleaning hacks!
12. Make Everything Smell Fresh and Clean
I love this hack for when company is coming over–I’ll stash dryer sheets in random places throughout the house to give it that extra clean smell.
Or I’ll do it when I need a mood boost. It’s a very easy way to incorporate some aromatherapy when you’re not willing to put much effort in on those days.
Again, like the car, I use the mentality of out with the old and in with the new. Always pull out the old ones before adding new ones to prevent dryer sheets from piling up in random places in your home.
If you enjoyed this smell hack, these ways to freshen up a smelly bathroom will wow you!
13. Make Your Luggage Smell Amazing
If you’re anything like us, we use our luggage, but not constantly, so it can get a little musty smelling.
A way to deter any distinctive odors is to throw a dryer sheet or two in the luggage before putting it away after a trip.
That way, when you’re packing next, there won’t be any old smells seeping into your clothes. Always toss the old sheets, too, when no longer scented.
14. Shine Up Your Faucets
Used dryer sheets for the win; they really are so handy for so many chores!
Wet one the next time you want to clean your faucets or other accessories–toasters, kettles, etc. for that extra sparkle you’re looking for to elevate your space.
If the item is electric, dry the object off with a kitchen towel to avoid any chance of complications when in use next, and plug it back into the socket.
15. Get Rid of Pet Hair
Say goodbye to any hairy pet surface that seems too hard to clean because there’s too much on there.
Grab a dryer sheet and rub over any fabric-based material–bed sheets, couches, curtains and it’ll pick up the fur.
I’ve even used dryer sheets on my clothing and coats! Try it on any fabric-based household items, and let me know if you find new ones it works on.
16. Clean Oven Racks
What is the easiest way to clean your oven racks? Add them to a basin of water, dawn dish soap, and a couple of dryer sheets–let sit overnight.
The following day wipe everything down with ease for sparkling like new racks. Add them back into your oven for a whole new life.
17. Freshen Up Smelly Shoes
Do you or someone you live with have notoriously stinky shoes that are getting a little too much? Cut a few dryer sheets up and stick them in the culprit’s shoes to say goodbye to the outstanding odors.
I’m also sharing this one early with my children! If we can avoid smelly shoes upfront, I consider it a big win in my book!
18. Clean Shower Doors
Wet a dryer sheet and rub down the surface to help deter soap scum and other buildups in your shower. The oils will help give it a protective layer to stay clean for longer.
Do this on a regular basis to cut down on your cleaning time in the bathroom.
I like to stash dryer sheets in the bathroom for this trick; specifically, it helps me continue to do it on my regular cleaning schedule.
19. Get Rid of Dust on TV
Another instance to help deter dust is using a dryer sheet on your television. Wipe the whole thing down for it to stay cleaner longer.
I like to wipe the TV and the blinds on the same day for two reasons. One, being the obvious, of keeping them clean regularly, and two, that I don’t forget to clean either of them!
20. Make Your Bedsheets Smell Fresh
I love putting freshly laundered sheets on the bed, but somehow that’s not a realistic way to keep up with it. So, a great hack I like to do is when the sheets come out from the dryer.
After folding, I’ll slide a dryer sheet in between the sheets to smell like they got just recently laundered. They may not be warm when I put them onto the bed, but they smell great!
21. Remove Soap Scum
In the same way, dryer sheets prevent soap scum. They also can clean the scum off the walls.
Wet a dryer sheet or two and take them to the problem area, and scrub. A little elbow grease will get the job done; no heavy-duty cleaner is necessary.
If this hack was helpful, you must see these frugal ways to use dish soap.
22. Wipe Down Your Windshield and Bumper
Car washing can be a tedious chore, but with this hack, you’ll save plenty of time! Take a new or used dryer sheet, wet it, and spot-clean the windshield and bumper.
Hose everything down, and dirt, bugs, and everything will rinse right off!
23. Lift Melted Wax off Hard Surfaces
Now, you have to try this if you have old wax stains that won’t entirely leave! Add an old candlestick into a bucket like this one with hot water and a dryer sheet.
After an hour, pull out the sheet to spot-clean your stubborn wax stains. Simply just wipe over the top with a bit of pressure to pull them off.
24. Tame Your Hair
I learned this trick in my school days and still pull one out of this travel-size dryer sheet pack now and again to throw in my bag for security!
Dryer sheets are a wonder with flyaways or any unruly pieces of hair that are just a bit too wild.
Swipe the sheet across the agreeable part to tame it for the next couple hours.
25. Loosen Up Food Residue
A great way to give your baking pans new life is to try this trick the next time you do a deep clean.
To remove stuck-on bits of food and deep-rooted stains, add a dryer sheet, warm water, and a good squeeze of dish soap to your tray.
After an hour of soaking, pull out the dryer sheet, drain the water, and wipe and wash away the stains without too much effort!
If you liked this idea, you need these other brilliant cleaning hacks to save you a ton of time!